Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-21
THE FRUIT UNION.
SECOND DAYS SESSION OF TIE
ANNUAL MEETING.
Reports of Committees = Amend
ments Made to the By-laws-Dis-
cussions of the Fruit-Growers.

| ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE RECORD uNIoN.l
SAN FRANCISCO, January 20th.-The Sec
ond days session of the second annual
meeting of the California Fruit Union was
called to order by President Hatch at 10
A. NJ. The minutes of the preceding days
session were read.
Drury Melone, Chairman of the commit
tee appointed to wait upon General Man
| ager Towne, with a view to secure lower
fruit transportation rates, made his report.
| 1t was in accord with the RECORD UNIONS
| dispatch of last evening-a concession to
$500 per car for ten-car trains, time to be
within twenty-four hours of passenger
time between California and Chicago. The
only reservation in the matter was in view
| of the prospective passage of the interstate
commerce bill. If that bill became a law,
he (Towne) did not think any one knew
what effect it would have upon the ship
ping interests. He also thought that,
| as the bill was now understood,
there would be all end to POSSIBLE
| ity of profitable through shipments,
unless under exception granted by the
Commission, and that there would be such
an innumerable demand for exceptions
| that the Commission might be unable 10
reach an application for exception in the
case of California fruits until an entire
season shall have passed. The promise of
Mr. Towne, Mr.. Melone said, was final as
| to allowing $500 rate, and was only to be
modified in case the provisions of the inter-
state bill prevented its going into operation.
Remarks swere made upon the subject,
also, by Messrs. Weinstock, Block, and
| others of the committee.
Upon motion the report was accepted,
and committee continued.
AMENDMENT OF THE BYLAWS.
The committee upon revision of the by
| laws made its report through G. NJ. sGray,
| the Chairman.
The report was upon motion accepted,
and the Convention proceeded to consider
| the bylaws as amended. as follows:
The first section, concerning Trustees, it
| was proposed to amend so that of nine of
| the Trustees three may be shippers.
L. W. Buck said that unless the bylaws
| were changed so that shippers can be
| stock holders this would be imperative, and
| he thought this should be considered be-
| fore the first section was changed. As for
himself, he was in favor of letting shippers
/ become stockholders, and to let them hold
a suitable amount of stock-not too large
| an amount-and he was also willing that
the proposed method of disposing of fruit
| through selling by auction should be thor
oughly tried by the Trustees.
Mr.. Melone called attention to the fact
that until it was known who had paid up
| the assessments upon stock no vote could
be taken.
The Chair said the ruling would be made
| that before proceeding the fact must be de-
termined that a quorum was present.
Judge Blackwood, of HaywardS, claimed
that, under the laws of the State, every
holder Of stock whether he was delinquent
or not, was member.
| M. NJ. Estee was called upon for his
opinion, and he gave the opinion that there
| were not any too many now in the Fruit
Union than were wanted, and he thought
it was better to take steps to get more in
than to rule any out. Laughter He
thought ii was better to proceed without
| raising the point, and the audience looked
approval. He said he was also in favor of
admitting shippers, but he would suggest
that the amount of stock shippers may sub
scribe for be limited to 200 shares each.
The amendment to Section l, to permit
three of the Trustees to be shippers, was
then adopted, with only two or three dis
senting votes.
No changes were made to Sections .
and g.
f. B. McKevitt, of Vacaville moved that
Section be so amended as to make the
regular meetings of the Union semi-annual
instead of annual.
S. Goodenough, of Santa Clara, Drurv
Melone and a. Block and others opposed
the amendment, and upon vote being
taken it was lost.
Section was then passed, and Section 5
was read. An amendment was proposed
by the committee to permit shippers to
hold stock limited to not less than one
hundred nor more than five hundred
shares. Several changes in the amount of
shares to be allowed to shippers was pro-
posed, all tending to restrict to a narrow
limit, and considerable discussion ensued
upon the question.
Mr.. Melone thought the largest possible
limit should be given to the shippers, not
going so far as to allow them to hold con-
trolling portion OF the stock.
Mr. Block, of Santa Clara, did not wish
them to have more than 100 shares each.
L. w. Buck moved to amend the amend
ment so as to let them in by taking from
100 to 200 shares.
Mr.. Melone asked the pointed question,
What would induce any shipper to take
more than 100 shares if he could get all the
benefits By subscribing 100 shares, and
could get no further benefits by paying for
200 shares? He offered a substitute that
shippers may become members by sub
scribing for 200 shares.
Mr.. Buck accepted the substitute in place
of his motion.
F. H. Buck raised a question as to the
definition of the term " shipper" saying
that many who were growers were also
engaged often, to some extent, in shipping
Remarks from various members followed
upon the suggestion, and finally L. w. Buck
and Mr.. Block suggested that the difficulty
would be overcome by substituting the
words " non-producers engaged in pur-
chasing and shipping fruit in place of
shipper wherein it occurred in the by
laws.
This was accepted, and upon motion, was
unanimously adopted.
No further amendments were offered by
the committee until Section 10 was reached.
Mr.. Weinstock offered the following as a
substitute for Section 10, with a view to
bringing in and adopting the auction plan
of sales:
Section TO- The Board of Directofs shall. bv
compiling such facts and statistics as may be at
their command, arrange table of distribution
subject to such changes and notifications as the
market nlSN, from time 10 tlDlc, demand ana
it shall become the duty of the General Man
ager TO regulate the distribution strictly in ac-
eordance with such provisions. The Directors
may delegate, subject to revocation, the power
to change or modify the table of distribution.
to the General Manager. The General Manager
shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the
Board OF Directors, a commissioned agent, also
an auctloneer in as many cities east of the
Rocky Mountains as in his judgment may be
necessary, in order to secure thorough distTi-
button of the products to be disposed of by the
Union The Board of Directors shall establish
regulations to control the quality weight and
packing of all fruits offered for Eastern ship
ment and it shall be the duty of the General
Manager, through his inspectors, to enforce such
regulations, and to reject all fruits offered for
shipment that do not come up to the standard
requirements. All fruits consigned by the
Union to Eastern agents shall be offered, by the
| auctioneer appointed by the General
Manager, at public auction. and sold to
the highest bidders for choice of lots the
auctioneers fees to be deducted from the agents
commission. The auctioneer shall forward by
| the first mail, TO every member having fruit at
| such sale. a copy of the catalogue giving in
print the prices realized for every lot of fruit
| sold at said sale. Subscribers of stock shall
| contract with the other subscribers that they
viii not sell any fruits for Eastern shipments TO
| any except to members of said Union Eastern
| shipment meaning east of OGDEN, reserving the
| right 10 sell any and all fruits for any other
purposes. Members of the Union shall be
privileged to name points of destination for
| their fruits and they shall be priv eyed TO
| name their own eon-igneeS. Il shall be the